From La Marmora lake to the hall of ruins
Station 1
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Here we are inside the Grotto. It is here that nature has erected, or rather carved, its noble temple. The sensation you feel is indeed that of being inside an inviolable space, which demands and deserves the respect owed to sacred places of all kinds. The world of the Grotto is extraordinary, different from ours, with rules and conditions that go beyond what we define as normal: as visitors, we enter this place with the utmost caution, letting ourselves be carried away by wonder. We can take some photos, but we must be very careful not to touch what nature has patiently created over millennia. The phenomenon at the base of its creation is karstification, which is the erosion caused by fresh rainwater that has slowly and inexorably corroded the limestone rocks of the Capo Caccia promontory.
Almost as if to completely sanctify this place, time has erected a stalagmitic column about two meters high right at the entrance platform, on the concave top of which, drop by drop, fresh water accumulates. We call it the Holy Water Stoup, and in addition to being a sort of sacred monument, it also represents a precious watering source for the birds that inhabit the Protected Marine Area.
The lake that welcomes us is named after Alberto La Marmora, a naturalist and cartographer who visited it several times in the 19th century. For a long time, it was considered the gateway to the grotto. It was crossed by a small boat, so many travelers associated this journey with that of the souls in Dante's Inferno, ferried by the old demon Charon, much to the dismay of the poor sailor who provided this service.
The lake is about nine meters deep, 25 meters wide, and 100 meters long: it is one of the largest saltwater lakes in Europe. The seawater filters into the Grotto through a natural siphon located beneath the entrance, which is why the lake's water level follows that of the sea.
Unfortunately, over time, the Grotto has not always received the respect it deserved from humans. Looking up and around carefully, you will notice some of the scars inflicted in the past on many stalactites and stalagmites: this is why the area we are crossing is called the Hall of Ruins. It is not easy to identify the culprits, but many historical sources document such acts as early as the 19th century. Some speak of cannon fire from an English captain, others of the greed of a commander of the Royal Sardinian frigates, and others of a French vice-consul who, in an attempt to gain favor with Queen Marie Antoinette, gifted her with fragments of these treasures.
Whatever the reasons and the culprits, the Hall of Ruins remains a testament to human stupidity and greed that can only make us reflect: a scar inflicted on this world that will never heal. Do you have any idea how long it takes for the stalactites and stalagmites you are admiring to form? We will talk about this in the next stop: the Hall of the Organ.
Almost as if to completely sanctify this place, time has erected a stalagmitic column about two meters high right at the entrance platform, on the concave top of which, drop by drop, fresh water accumulates. We call it the Holy Water Stoup, and in addition to being a sort of sacred monument, it also represents a precious watering source for the birds that inhabit the Protected Marine Area.
The lake that welcomes us is named after Alberto La Marmora, a naturalist and cartographer who visited it several times in the 19th century. For a long time, it was considered the gateway to the grotto. It was crossed by a small boat, so many travelers associated this journey with that of the souls in Dante's Inferno, ferried by the old demon Charon, much to the dismay of the poor sailor who provided this service.
The lake is about nine meters deep, 25 meters wide, and 100 meters long: it is one of the largest saltwater lakes in Europe. The seawater filters into the Grotto through a natural siphon located beneath the entrance, which is why the lake's water level follows that of the sea.
Unfortunately, over time, the Grotto has not always received the respect it deserved from humans. Looking up and around carefully, you will notice some of the scars inflicted in the past on many stalactites and stalagmites: this is why the area we are crossing is called the Hall of Ruins. It is not easy to identify the culprits, but many historical sources document such acts as early as the 19th century. Some speak of cannon fire from an English captain, others of the greed of a commander of the Royal Sardinian frigates, and others of a French vice-consul who, in an attempt to gain favor with Queen Marie Antoinette, gifted her with fragments of these treasures.
Whatever the reasons and the culprits, the Hall of Ruins remains a testament to human stupidity and greed that can only make us reflect: a scar inflicted on this world that will never heal. Do you have any idea how long it takes for the stalactites and stalagmites you are admiring to form? We will talk about this in the next stop: the Hall of the Organ.
